Double-action closure latch for divided lid caskets



Feb. 4, 1958 L. GJGRUBER ,8

DOUBLE-ACTION CLOSURE LATCH FOR DIVIDED LID GASKETS Filed July 15, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR LESLE 6. (mum-w,

Feb. 4, 1958 L. G. GRUBER 2,821,770

DOUBLE-ACTION CLOSURE LATCH FOR DIVIDED LID GASKETS Filed July 15. 1953 s Sheet-Sheet 2- Fig.4. 33

Fig.9.

L i \W LESUE (iCmubE-P INVENTOR 2|C United States Patent" 6 2,821,770 DOUBLE-ACTION-CLOSURE LATCH FOR DIVIDEDLID CASKETS. Leslie G. Gruber,.Memphis, vTenn. Applicationaui 13, 1953,- SerialNo. 367,523. 17 Claims. (Cl. 2717) This invention relates" to a double=action closure latch fortuvided lldCQSKCES. More particularly, tne-invention relates to alatching device tor burialcaskets of" the type having a full length closure frame hinged thereto along .the' rear'edge'thereof and having a head-end half-length closure similarly hinged-to the full length closure frame, saidlatching device comprising a-latch oar housed within the tront 'rim portion of-said full-length closure trame and being selectively movable to a first position in which-the head-end. half-length closure is latched to the full-length closure frame for movement thereof asa unitary closure to "facilitate insertion of 'a body, to a second, intermediate position in which the full-length closureframe iselatched to the casket andthe head-end half-closure is unlatcned for raisingto permit viewing the upper-half of the body, and toe tnirdpositiOn-in which the closure portions are firmly latchedto-each other and to the'casket.

Specifically, the' invention relates to a latching assembly for burial caskets ofthe type having a full-length closure frame hinged along its rear edge to the casket and having a. head-end half-length closure similarly hinged to the full-length closure frame, said latching devicecomprising a channel-bar guide housed within and fixed to-the front rim portion of said full-length closure frame, a latch bar slidably carried therein and being slotted to define longitudinally extending latch tongues for matingly passing through the eyes of hasps fastened to the casketrim'andthe half-length closure, said latchbar being movable by asingle water-tight operating means selectively to three positions in which, respectively, the closure portions are locked together for movement asza unit, the full-length closureframe i's latched to the casket and the half-closure is movable, and both closure 'por tions are-latched to each other and to the casket, said latching assembly also including a signal for indicating at least the intermediate position.

It is a principal object of the inventionyto provide means for quickly and securely latching the two closures of a divided lid burial casket so that, selectively, (1) said closures may be locked together for movement as-a unitary closure, (2) the footend closure may be latched closed with the head-end free'for' movement, or (3) both parts may be securely latched closed.

It is another objectto provide a latching device for'a divided lid casket, which latching device selectively latches at a plurality of'points along theclosure edge and. is 'i'novable by a single conveniently located operating means.

It is a further object to provide a doubleaction latching device, for the closures of a divided lid casket, with signaling'means' for clearly indicating when the latching mechanism is in on'eor more of its several functional positions'. It is yetanotlier object: to" provide a latching. device of the class described whichis of simple. rugged, and? highly effective construction" and which is formed'as a unit easily installable. in. a wide variety. of caskets.

It is an overall object of the invention to generally improve the design and efliciency of closure latches for caskets, and more particularly" for divided lid caskets.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of. the present inventionl' are' accomplished andf'the marl.- ner" of their accomplishment will bev readily understood from the following'fspecification. upon reference; to- .accompanyiiiggdrawihgsniniwhich:

Fig. .1 is a front perspective view of Iaburial casketembodying the present invention, the closure members being latcned-togethenfor movement as axunit.

Fig. 2=is.-a:front perspective view showing the foot-end closure latcheddownand the head-end closure movable to.: body-viewing position;

Fig. 3. is :a front perspective view ofthe casket with both closures latched in .closed position.

Fig; 4 isan enlarged and elevatiohalviewin section taken-asonthe line'lV.IV of Fig. 1.

Fig.5 is,.a further enlargedtragmentary detailview of the latch structure of-: Fig. 4;

Fig. 6; is an enlargedand elevational view. in section taken'as on the line Vl--Vl.of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 isa. further enlarged fragmentary. detail view of the latch structure of Fig. 6.

Fig.8 isan; enlarged end elevational view.in section taken as .on the line: V1ll-Vlll of;Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is -a furthenenlarged fragmentary detail view of the llatchstrnctureof Fig. 8.

Figr-lOis.atrontrelevational view in section taken as on tneline X--X of1 Fig. 5.

Fig. 11 is a front elevational view in-sectiontakenas on. the line Xl--X-L of Fig, 7'.

Fig. 12-.is.a front elevationalview in section. taken as on the. line.X II-'XII of-Fig. 9.

Fig. 1 3. ism-enlarged fragmentary end elevational view insection taken on the line Xlli.-XIll of Fig 3,.

Fig..1 4-'is a: front perspective view of: the latching unit per 'se with its parts inlinal or fully latching relative positions.

Referring-now to.- the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the numeral- 21 generally designates a metallic casket. of generally conventional construction. The upper and lower extremities of the sideand end: walls of the casket may be bent outwardly and, then vertically to form. upper and lower molding simulating portions 21A and.21B,respectively. Thelower molding portion 218 may be inturned at 21C to form a flange for welding or other attachment to, thecasket bot;- tom 21D. The top molding: portion 21A has asubstantially horizontal inwardly directed extension. 21E forming a. fiat rim or seat for a lower sealing gasket 23 of rubber. or, similar resilient material. (The. gasket 23, Fig... 13., may be. of any conventional. construction, but preferably has an outer enlarged bead portion 23A made more resilient by the hollow or tubular construction shown.) The inner edge of. seat 21B is provided with anarrow downturnededge flange 21F for appearance. and strength. Seat 21E is apertured at spaced intervals along its. length to permit extension upwardly therethrough of latch-engaging hasp devices 25 later to be described.

The cover or closure for the casket 21 is generally designat'ed 27. Closure 27 consists. basically of. a unitary frame member 29, a foot-end half-closureSl permanently fixed thereto,and a head-end half-closure 33 hingedly attached thereto. Frame 29 is formed of an. inwardly opening'. peripheral channel bar 29A which may be formed of side andv end sections joined as by welding tocreate the frame bar. The upper exposed face ofgchannel bar 29A formsa fiat seat for an upper sealing gasket 23 preferably identical with lower' gasket 23. The inner edges-of the. channel bar sections 29A are. bent toward each other at 29B for appearance and strength. The rear section of channel bar 29A of frame member 29 is: hingedly connected-at 29C to the casket 21. The relatively movable head-end. half-closure 33. is hinged asby suitable hinges 33H to the upper rear edge of the rear section of frame. member 29.. p I

I The head-end. half-closure 33j=also has inwardly bent flan'ges 33A to form gasket-compressing seats. The inner thereof. the one for which the indicator will be most useful since edges of flanges 33A are further bent to form narrow trim and strengthening flanges 33B, and flange 33A along the forward portion of the closure 33 is apertured to receive hasp devices like those carried by the flange 21E.of the casket proper 21.

The latching assembly, generally designated 34, comprises a channel bar of a size and shape to be snugly received within the channel of the front section of closure frame 29. The channel bar 35 is welded or otherwise anchored to its enclosing channel-shaped section of the closure frame 29, with its open side facing forwardly. Slidably held uprightly on edge and against the rear wall of the channel in bar 35 is the latch bar 37, formed conveniently of steel strap material of sufiicient thickness for suitable stiffness and strength. Latch bar 37 is held in place loosely lying against the rear wall of the channel in channel bar 35 by any suitable means such as lugs 37A struck upwardly and downwardly from the top and bottom flanges forming the channel bar 35.

Channel bar 35 is provided with notches 35A in its upper and lower rear corners formed by the junction of the horizontal flanges and vertical web of channel 35 to receive the hasp parts of hasp-devices 25 which extend through such notches 35A, into the channel of channel bar 35 for latching engagement with the latch tongues on latch bar 37, next to be described.

The latch bar 37 is notched at points along its length corresponding to locations at which hasp devices 25 are to be engaged thereby for-registry with such hasps on insertion. The notches in the bottoms of channel bar 35 and latch bar 37 are spaced along substantially the entire length of the latching assembly, while the notches in the top of said parts are spaced within the limits of the length of head closure 33, since the bottom of latch bar 37 co-operates with the casket rim to lock the whole closure down, while the top of latch bar 37 only locks the head-end closure to the closure frame.

The bottom latch tongues 41 are formed by slotting latch bar 37 as at 41A preferably in one direction away from the hasp-entering notches, as shown, being so slotted to the left of the notches as seen in Fig. 14 for example. These tongues 41 are relatively long since they latchingly engage their co-operating hasps in two of the three functional positions of the latch bar 37.

For co-operation with the hasps of the head-end halfclosure, pairs of relatively shorter and oppositely extending latch tongues 43 are formed by slotting in opposite directions, as at 43A, from the bottom of the hasp receiving notches in the top of the head-end portion of the latch bar 37 (Figs. 10, 11, 12, 14). It should here be noted that the hasps entering notches in the upper edge of the latch bar 37 are at an intermediate point of the tongue-defining longitudinal slots 43A while those in the lower edge are at the right ends of the tongue-defining slots 41A, for purposes to be explained below. The ends of latch tongues 41 and 43 are tapered to facilitate their entering the eyes in the hasp devices 25 and to provide a camming action so that the sealing gaskets 23 will be effectively compressed for sealing.

To give an audible indication of the position of the latch bar relative to its guide channel bar 35, the latter may have fixed to its bottom (or top) flange a spring post 45 having a ball-like protuberance (not shown) yieldingly pressed againstthe front face of latch bar 37. Latch bar 37in turn is preferably provided with three de ressions or dimples 47, each corresponding to a functi nal position of the latch bar, which thus give an audible click and/or a tactile indication of the functional positions It should be noted that the center position is the extreme positions can be detected (although less safely and certainly) by relyinguponv the s'topmeans,

consisting of the opposite ends of frame 29, for limiting the'travel of the latch bar.

The single device for operating the latch bar 37 comprises a rack 51 fixed to the latch bar and a co-operating pinion 53 axially fixed to the guide channel bar 35 and thereby to the closure frame 29. Pinion 53 is keyed or otherwise fixed to a shaft 55 against both axial and rotational displacement. Shaft 55 is journaled at its rear end in a bore in the rear wall of the channel bar 35 and passes through a longitudinal slot 37A in latch bar 37. Shaft 55 is held against forward displacement by any suitable means such as cotter pin 56. The forward end of shaft 55 is enlarged at 55A and is provided with an axially disposed non-cylindrical socket 55B for the reception of a complementarily shaped tool shaft (not shown) by which the shaft 55 and thereby the latching mechanism are operated. It is preferred that the pinion be of such size that two full turns are required for the full movement of the rack. Thus one full turn from either extreme position of the latch bar 37 will bring it to the intermediate position.

The enlarged front end 55A of shaft 55 is journaled in a bearing sleeve 57. Bearing sleeve 57 is externally threaded for co-operating with a complementarily threaded opening in the closure frame 29. A centrally apertured cap 59 screws over the externally exposed end of sleeve 57. A pair of washers or gaskets 61 and 62 of rubber or other water-excluding material prevent leakage into frame 29 around the outside of bearing sleeve 57. Leakage between sleeve 57 and shaft 55 is prevented by the gasket or washer 63, which closely embraces shaft 55 and is pressed against the end of sleeve 57 by the spring 65 pressing against the pinion 53 to urge it and shaft 55 outwardly (or to the right, Fig. 13) and thus compressing gasket 63 between washer 67 and the inner end of bearing sleeve 57. Spring 65 is attached by any suitable means, such as screw 69, to the channel bar guide 35.

The gasket 63, it should be noted, not only seals the bearing against leakage of water therethrough into the casket, but also serves as a safety lock or brake to prevent turning of the pinion shaft (caused, for example, by vibration during shipment by rail). The braking action of the gasket, however, is easily relieved merely by an inward pressure on the rotating tool (not shown) into socket 55B during operation of the latching mechanism.

In operation, the casket embodying the present invention will be shipped with the closure sections closed and the latch bar in its extreme position to the right (Figs. 12 and 14) in which position the latch tongues 41 and the left ones of the pairs of tongues 43 will be latchingly received in the apertures of their co-operating hasp devices. The conditions and positions of the several parts are thus illustrated in Figs. 3, 8, 9, l2 and 14.

When the casket is to be used, the operating tool is inserted into socket 55B (optionally the shaft 55 is pressed inwardly against spring to remove the braking effect of gasket 63) and the shaft 55 is rotated two full turns to the left, driving rack 51 and latch bar 37 connected thereto to their extreme left positions of Fig. 10, where the right hand tongues 43 have been moved into latching engagement with the upper hasps and the two halfclosures are locked together for movement as a unit and are unlatched from the hasps 25 on the casket rim proper, tongues 41 having been shifted out of the lower hasps and the lower notches 41A moved into alinement with the hasps. (The sealing gaskets 23 may be placed as needed, or may be lightly or strongly cemented in p'ace at the time of manufacture or as desired thereafter.)

With the closure fully open, the casket is arranged and the corpse (not shown) placed therein. The full closure is then lowered and the latch bar is moved to its intermediate (one click or one-rotation) position, which locks the closure frame to the casket by engaging tongues 41 into the casket'carried hasps, but releases the headend half-closure for raising or'lowering, as desired, for

viewing theupper half of "the corpseon its half couch, the'uppernotches 43A havingbeenfmoved intoalinement wi'th"the haspsso "that theyare ifree for movement away from-"the latchmechanism. The positions of'the latching meChanismparts'are now those'of Fig. l'l.

"l inallyythe'casket is'closedand sealedbyflowering half-closure 33*and moving'the jlatch bar again .toits "extreme-right position'by'anotherfull rotation of pinion shaft 55; continuing the hasp engagement by lower tongues "41, andreengaging left 'hand tongues 43 withthe upper hasps.

It :Will' be "seen that as each of the. respective tongues 41, 43-is advanced and engaged withthe corresponding haspsfthe'camming action of the tongue endsis effective to" tightly seal the "related closure portion again the. un- -'derlying gasket. The tight l seal thus effected seals t the junction line between half "lid33 and frame '29, and that between'frame 29 and the casket rim.in substan- =tia1ly hermetic-manneragainst the entry; of .airtan'd/or moisture aftenlatching of the closures, thus' enabling "the closure and sealing of the casket ina" simple single operation.

l't -will be noted that thelatchingiarrangement.afiords an additional advantage in providing 'for'latching the r-half lid 33'to frame 29 whilethe 'frame'is unlatched rmm the casket rim. This arrangement thus permits the ''overall closure to be raised foraccess,tothe -casket'interioras for positioning and/or arrangement of a copse "therein, but prevents the'hinged halflid' from undesirably swinging open independently during such positioning, thus eliminating 'a source of damage previously found 'undesirable.

It will further be seen that'the present structure in- "sures -proper relative latching of the closure members as desired, since in orderto release frame 29'from the casketythe latching mechanism must be moved tothe ;position shown in Figs. 1, 4, 5, and 10, in which the hinged half lid is latched to frame 29, while in order to freethehalfllid for opening the latching mechanism or said closure frame, a second closure member covering the remaining "portion of said frame and hingedlyconnected thereto adjacent its rear edge, an. elongated latching -memberyhaving latch elements spaced therealong, carried by said frame adjacent its front edge, means holding' and" guiding said elongated latching member for 'limited longitudinal .movement only relative to said closure frame, co-operating latch devices'attached to' the frontportion of the edge of said casket and the front edge of 'said'second closuremember at spaced pointsthere- 'a'long'for latching engagement by'said latch elements of said latchingmember, said latching member being longi tudinally sh ftable, means for shifting said latching mem- "hen-shift of said latching member :elfecting shift of said latch elements'relative to said'latch. devices to and from :one position of said latching member in which 1 said closure members are locked togetherfor hinging move- "ment as a unit relative to said casket, from and to another position of said latching member in which said first rclosure member and saidclosure frame are latched. to said casket and said second closuremember is unlatched and free to move, and to and from a third position of said latchingmember inwhich all of said closure members and frame are latched :with said casket in casket-closing 'positions 42. Structure according toclaim; l-andi additionally comgprising resilient sealinggaskdtsinterposed betweenythe r'nbtittingfedges of. said .ftame .,andaasaid sealinghrim': and

,also,,between, said frame.and the abutting edge of said second closure member.

3. ;Structure according to claim '2 and additionally comprising a signaling, device'for indicating at least one of the threejfunctional, positions of said latching member relative to said frame.

4. Structure, according to claim'3, said signalingdevice comprising a springjfinger attached tonne of, and depressions in the other ofsaid' frame and said latching member.

,5. ilncombination, a divided-lid burial casket havingga sealing rim around its upper edge, a closure frame adapted to rest upon said rim and comprising inwardly open channel, bars,.a closure member fixed to and covering, approximatelythe foot half of said'frame andcaskena secondclosuremember adaptedto cover theremaining portion of said frame'and casket and hingedlyconnected adjacent its' rear edge msaidframe, a forwardlyfacing guide channel bar snugly fitted in and anchored to-the front-section of said frame, a latch bar guidedly and, slidablynested between the top and bottom plates of;said

-guide channelbar, means holding said latch bar loosely against therear plate of said guide ,channel bar, spaced alined apertures in the bottom and top of said from .section of 'said frame and said guide channel bar, hasps .attached tosaid casket rim and to the edge of said second closure member so-as to enter said apertures when-the parts aremoved into engaging positions, said latchbar also having notches for said hasps to enter, said notches having longitudinal extensions defining tongue-like latches,

andmeans operable from the outside of said casketifor movingsaid latch bar for selectively latching saidframe and closure members together for movement as aunit,

latching only said fixed closure member and frame torsaid casket, or latching all of said closure members and frame to said casket.

6. Structure according toclaim 5, and in which said means holding said latch bar against the rear plate of'said guide channel bar comprises lugs struck up and down fromsaid top and bottom plates thereof.

7. Structure according to claim 5, said tongue-like latches having tapered ends to serve-as cams to facilitate and improve latch engagement of 'said hasps.

hinged thereto along the rear edge of'said rim, a closure fixed to and covering approximately thefoothalf-'ofsaid closure frame, a second closure cover-ing the-remaining portion of said frame and hingedly connected theretoadjacent its rear edge, an elongated latching member, having latch elements spaced therealong, carried *by said frame adjacent its front edge, means holding and guiding said elongated latching member for limited longitudinal movement only relative to said closureframe;co-operating latch devices attached to said rimadjacent its front edge and to the front edge of said second closureat spaced points therealong for latching engagement-bysaid latch elements of said latching member, a rack attached toisaid elongated latching member, ashaft journal'ed in bearing means attached to saidclosure'frame,said*shaft .being .adapted for engagement by means operable from the exterior of said frame for rotation of said shaft to shift-said. latching member as desired.

10. Structure according toclaim9 andIin'which-saijd gshaftiisrprovided with an axial nonecylindrical bore to receive; a similarly. shaped tip ;:of arotatingtool.

: 11..Structure. according to claim- '9, said fshaft' j being adapted :tor' one-fulb rotatioxr for moving said latching member to or from either of its extreme functional positions from or to its intermediate functional position.

12. In a casket, a casket body, a closure frame hinged to the casket body, a partial closure mounted on said of said latching means, said latching means having an intermediate position in which said frame is latched to said body, one end position in which said second closure is latched to said frame and said frame is unlatched from said body and another end position in which said second closure is latched to said frame and said frame is latched to said body, the shiftable part of said latching means being shifted to said one end position in one direction beyond said intermediate position and being shifted to the other end position in the opposite direction beyond said intermediate position.

13. In a casket, a casket body, a closure frame hinged to the casket body, a partial closure fixed to said frame, a second partial closure hinged to said frame, and cooperating latching means carried by said frame, said body and said second closure, said latching means carried by said frame being longitudinally shiftable relative to the remaider of said latching means carried by said second closure and said body, said shiftable latching means having an intermediate position in which said shiftable means engages said body-carried latching means and said frame is latched to said body, one end position in which said shiftable means engages said closure-carried latching means and is disengaged from said body-carried latching means and said second closure is latched to said frame and said frame is unlatched from said body, and another end position in which said shiftable means engages said body-carried and closure-carried latching means and said second closure is latched to said frame and said frame is latched to said body, said shiftable latching means being shifted to said one end position in one direction beyond said intermediate position and being shifted to the other end position in the opposite direction beyond said intermediate position.

14. In a casket, a casket body, a closure frame hinged to said body, a first partial closure mounted on said frame, a second partial closure hinged to said frame, hasp elements carried by said body and said second closure and projecting into said frame, a latch bar slidably mounted in said frame in cooperative relation with said hasp elements, said latch bar including opposed tongues positioned to alternately engage the second closure hasp elements responsive to opposite shift of said latch bar in opposite directions, additional tongues spaced from said opposed tongues and positioned to engage the bodycarried hasp elements on latch bar shift in one of said directions, said additional tongues being disengaged from said body-carried hasp elements when said latch bar is in a position substantially at the end of shift in one of said directions, part of said opposed tongues being then engaged with said closure-carried hasp elements, shift of said latch bar in the other of said directions away from said position engaging said additional tongues with said body-carried hasp elements and moving said part of said opposed tongues away from engagement with said closure-carried hasp elements, continuation of latch bar shift in said other direction continuing hasp engagement by said additional tongues and moving the remainder of said opposed tongues into engagement with said closurecarried hasp elements.

15. In a casket, a casket body, a closure frame hinged to said body, a first partial closure mounted on said frame, a second partial closure hinged to said frame, longitudinally spaced hasp elements carried by said body and said second closure and-respectively projecting upwardly and downwardly into said, frame, a latch bar longitudinally slidably mounted in said frame in cooperative relation with said hasp elements, said latch bar including longitudinally spaced pairs of opposed tongues positioned to alternately engage the second closure hasp elements responsive to opposite shift of said latch bar in opposite directions, additional tongues spaced vertically from said opposed tongues and positioned to engage the bodycarried hasp elements on latch bar shift in one of said directions, said additional tongues being disengaged from said body-carried hasp elements when said latch bar is in a position substantially at the end of shift in one of said directions, part of said opposed tongues being then engaged with said closure-carried hasp elements, shift of said latch bar in the other of said directions away from said position engaging said additional tongues with said body-carried hasp elements and moving said part of said opposed tongues away from engagement with said closure-carried hasp elements, continuation of latch bar shift in said other direction continuing hasp engagement by said additional tongues and moving the remainder of said opposed tongues into engagement with said closurecarried hasp elements.

16. In a casket, a casket body, a closure frame hinged to said body, a first partial closure mounted on s id frame, a second partial closure hinged to said frame, latch means carried by said body and said second closure and projecting into said frame, a latch bar slidably mounted in said frame in cooperative relation with said latch means, said latch bar including opposed latch portions positioned to alternately engage the second closure latch means responsive to opposite shift of said latch bar in opposite directions, additional latch portions spaced from said opposed latch portions and positioned to engage the body-carried latch means on latch bar shift in one of said directions, said additional latch portions being disengaged from said body-carried latch means when said latch bar is in a position substantially at the end of shift in one of said directions, and part of said opposed latch portions being then engaged with said closurecarried latch means, shift of said latch bar in the other of said directions away from said position engaging said additional latch portions with said body-carried latch means and moving said part of said opposed latch portions away from engagement with said closure-carried latch means, continuation of latch bar shift in said other direction continuing latch means engagement by said additional latch portions and moving the remainder of said opposed latch portions into engagement with said closure-carried latch means.

17. In a burial casket, a casket body, a closure frame hinged to said-body, a closure fixed to and covering one end of said frame, a second closure hinged to said frame and covering the other end of said frame, a plurality of hasp elements connected to and projecting upwardly from the opposite edge of said body, a plurality of hasp elements connected to and projecting downwardly from said second closure, said frame lying between said body and said second closure, and a latch bar carried by said frame, said latch bar including upper and lower tongues and being selectively longitudinally shiftable among a first position in which said upper tongues engage said downwardly projecting hasp elements, and said upwardly projecting hasp elements are free, an intermediate position in which said lower tongues engage said upwardly projecting hasp elements and said downwardly projecting hasp elements are free, and another position in which said tongues concurrently engage said upwardly and downwardly projecting hasp elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 610,537 Hiser et al Sept. 13, 1898 1,234,470 Hartman July 24, 1917 1,594,669 Greive Aug. 3, 1926 2,323,674 Purkiss July 6, 1943 2,582,841 McEwan Jan. 15, 1952 

